HRT TEST DAY - Phillip Island
17/3/2005 17:37 (Press Release) -
Weather: Fine, hot
Ambient temperature: 30 degrees (11am), 34 degrees (3pm)
Track temperature: 40 degrees (11am), 47 degrees (3pm)
Special notes:
- James Courtney’s first ever drive in an Australian touring car
- The team would like to congratulate Todd and Kristy Kelly on the birth of their son, Mason, the night before the test session. Mum and baby are both doing well.
Car #2 (Chassis #50 VZ Commodore) – 80 laps
Mark Skaife – 60 laps; best time 1min 34.40 sec
James Courtney – 10 laps; best time 1min 37.00 sec
Jim Richards – 10 laps; best time 1min 37.40 sec
Car #22 (Chassis #51 VZ Commodore) – 60 laps
Todd Kelly – 60 laps; best time 1min 34.80 sec
Mark Skaife:
“We’ve made around three-quarters of a second’s worth of improvements over the course of the day and the car is a lot easier to drive. Sometimes at this place (Phillip Island) the cars are bit remote, they don’t tell you a lot and I thought today we have been able to make it more consistent and provide the element of feedback you need for a big, fast circuit like this one.
“We haven’t been here for a few years and the grip level is probably less than I remember. It’s great to back though, other than Bathurst this is the best race track in Australia by a long way.”
Todd Kelly:
“We’ve rolled out a brand new car today and I don’t think there’s anything that’s the same as the old car, so there’s a lot to get used to with driving position and the like. We haven’t had too much time to play with it yet, but straight out of the box it’s pretty nice.
“It’s a bit hard to judge with tyres and the conditions out here so I can’t wait to get to Albert Park and see how good it really is.”
James Courtney:
“You have really coax it into the corner and wait for the grip, and wait for the tyre to be ready before you can get on to it. Once it starts to go it’s pretty hard to get it back. Once I learn the little tricks of the trade I’m sure I’ll be fine.
“This tyre sends the driver a false reading about what’s happening – as you turn in it feels like the whole tyre is going to roll underneath you and it feels like the car is going to oversteer or understeer, depending on the corner.
“I feel with this type of car you have to slow down a lot more than the driver wants to so it’s all about patience. It’s hard for me being a young guy, I just want to get it around and get back on the gas so you have to get used to that.
“With Mark racing this car next weekend I don’t want to push it too hard to find out where the limit is.
“I’m pretty happy with my first run, even if Mark’s seating position was a bit different to how I want to have it.
“I think I’d like to continue doing Bathurst each year – the cars are fun, I’d race a shopping trolley if everyone else had the same! I’m just a racer, I love racing and to keep coming back here would be fun but as for coming back here and doing the series, well, there’s a lot I want to achieve overseas.
“I’m very comfortable where I am but I’ll jump at the opportunity to come back here and do the enduros.”
Jim Richards:
“Everything feels good, everything works well. I haven’t driven this track for a long time so it’s hard to make comparisons, but I’m pretty happy so far.”
Rob Starr (team manager):
“It’s been a very successful day in terms of the fact that we’ve rolled out a new car (chassis #51) that was built in 20 days. It was a big achievement for the whole team, and of course it had to be done for the Grand Prix.
“The track conditions weren’t ideal, the track wasn’t gripping much but by our stopwatch we still had the quickest two cars of the six that tested.
“James has done well in his first drive. On old tyres he’s done a 37-dead within 10 laps, and we know he was holding a bit back. It’s fairly encouraging.”
Release Date: 01/03/2005
Holden Racing Team
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